Check-hook.



M. SHOEMAKEK GHEGK HOOK. APPLICATION FILED JULY 28, 1909.

Patented Mar. 15, 1910.

NTT %T% PATENT @FFTQE.

MURRY SHOEMAKER, OF ARTESIAN, SOUTH DAKOTA.

CHECK-HOOK.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, MURRY SHOEMAKER, a citizen of the United States, residing at- Artesian, in the county of Sanborn and State of South Dakota, have invented a new and useful Check-Hook, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to check hooks for use on harness saddles and has for an object to provide a device of this character having a yielding hook member which may be readily operated to apply and release a check rein and which will automatically lock when adjusted to operative position.

Another object is to provide a device of this character having a slotted post assembled with the hook member and adapted to form a closure for the opened end of the latter so as to obstruct accidental disengagement of the check rein therefrom.

A further object is to provide a device of this character in which the hook member operates against the pressure of a spring when being adjusted or released from operative position whereby the parts are prevented from working loose and rattling when subjected to hard usage.

With the above advantages and other objects in view which will appear as the nature of the invention is better understood, my invention embraces the novel details of construction and combination of parts illus trated in the accompanying drawing, shown in the following specification and set forth in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawing, Figure 1 is a perspective view of a check hook con structed in accordance with my invention. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of my improved check hook, partly in section with the hooked portion, shown dotted in initial position. Fig. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view of the same, taken on the line AB of Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a detail perspective view of the spring.

In a more detailed description of my invention in which like characters of reference designate similar parts in the views shown, 1 designates a screw threaded post having an upper longitudinally slotted or bifurcated head 2 provided with an oblong depression or recess 8 in its base constituting a seat for the spring 4. The spring 4 is preferably formed from a single sheet of spring metal and comprises an inclined top wall 5 and downwardly projecting side walls Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed July 28, 1909.

Patented Mar. 15, 1910.

Serial No. 510,079.

6 and 7 which conform to and snugly fit the walls of the seat. The side walls are sufficient in height to bring the lowest edge of the inclined top wall flush with the upper edges of the seat and the highest edge of the inclined top wall slightly above the adjacent top edges of the seat.

A hook member 8 is attached to the head and formed with a lower rectangular shank portion 9 which is engaged between the spaced vertical branches or uprights 10 of the head and movably attached to the former by a pivot pin 11. The upper portion 12 of the hook member is bent upwardly and rearwardly and terminates in a reduced end 13 adapted to freely slide between the spaced uprights.

The shank portion 9 of the hook member is formed with an inclined face let adjacent its secured end for contact with the inclined top face of the spring when the hook member is in operative position. By having the inclined face of the shank portion engage the oppositelyinclined top face of the spring, the hook member is lockingly held in operative position by the upward pressure of the spring. Moreover, when the check rein has been placed in the hook member and the latter forced forwardly the spring will operate to automatically lock the hook member in its closed position without further attention from the operator.

The shank portion of the hook member terminates in an inclined end 15 which bears upon the inclined top face of the spring member when the hook member is in opened or initial position, as shown in Fig. 2 and operates to limit the pivotal movement of the hook member in this direction. By this engagement of the inclined end 15 with the oppositely inclined top face of the spring, the hook member is held in its initial position by the upward pressure of the spring until the check rein is engaged in the hook member when the latter may be forced downwardly from this position to its final or operative position.

The included edge 16 between the inclined contact faces 14 and 15 of the hook member is rounded or beveled in order to reduce the friction between the shank of the hook member and the top face of the spring so that the former can be easily and readily adjusted to operative position without any binding or rocking of the parts.

It is evident that the spring exerts an upward pressure upon the shank of the hook member when in its open, closed and intermediate positions, the object of this construction being to prevent the loosening and consequent rattling of the parts when subjected to rough usage and to prevent any movement of the parts except by manual operation.

It is evident that when the hook member is in its closed or final position that the uprights 10 of the head form a closure for the open end of the hook member which will obstruct the disengagement of the check rein therefrom.

From the foregoing description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, it is thought that the construction and operation of my invention may be easily understood without a more extended explanation, it being understood that various changes in the form, proportion and minor details of construction may be made without sacrificing any of the advantages or departing from the spirit of the invention.

hat is claimed is:

1. In a check hook, at post formed with a slot in its upper face and with a centrally located seat in the base of said slot, a hook member, one end of which is pivotally connected to the walls of said slot and the free end of which is adapted to enter between said walls above said secured end, and a spring having parallel side walls engaged in said seat and an inclined top wall connecting said side walls and exerting a pressure on the secured end of said hook member whereby to hold said hook member in closed position.

2. In a check hook, a post terminating at one end in a transversely slotted head, a seat formed centrally in the base of said head and communicating with the slot thereof, a hook member having one end pivoted to the walls of said slot adjacent said seat and the free end adapted to enter between said walls above said secured end, and a spring having parallel side walls engaged in said seat and an inclined top wall connecting said side walls and exerting a pressure on the secured end of said hook member whereby to hold said hook member in closed position.

3. In a check hook, a post terminating at one end in a bifurcated head, a seat formed in the base of said head intermediate its branches, a hook member having a shank portion pivotally secured between said branches adjacent said seat and an upwardly bent portion adapted to enter between said branches above said shank portion, said shank portion having an inclined face adjacent its pivot point, and a spring having parallel side walls adapted to snugly fit the walls of said seat, and an inclined top wall adapted to engage the inclined face of said shank portion whereby to lock the hook member in closed position.

4. In a check hook, a post provided with a forked head, an oblong seat formed centrally in the base of said head, a hook member having a shank portion pivotally secured between the branches of said head adjacent said seat and an upwardly curved portion, the extremity of which is adapted to enter between said branches above said shank portion, said shank portion terminating in an inclined end face and having an inclined lateral face adjacent said end face, and a spring having parallel side walls adapted to snugly fit the walls of said oblong seat and an inclined top wall connecting said end walls and adapted to engage said inclined end face and said inclined lateral face whereby to lock said hook member in open and closed position respectively.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto ailixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

MURRY SHOEMAKER. lVitnesses F. B. lVHrrNEY, T. M. BRIsBINE. 

